Please enter your email address below to create account. He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. The mountain lion is a very large, slender cat with a small head, small rounded ears that are not tufted, very powerful shoulders and hindquarters, and a long, heavy, cylindrical tail. In Pennsylvania, I receive a few reports of black, big cats, which makes one wonder -- are there melanistic (black) pumas out there, or are those sightings always wrong. I received a report from a woman who drove last Sunday (August 28) from her home in the Philadelphia area to her vacation home in Avalon. Cover Image: A cougar in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan DNR). Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a big cat seen recently in . The timber rattlesnake and northern copperhead are close to threatened, according to pennlive.com. Cougars are seven to eight feet in length (head to tail) and stand two to three feet at the shoulder. Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Then there is Rocky. According to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species, bobcats are considered a species of least concern because of their wide distribution, abundance, and stable . PhillyVoice Staff, The coloration and the shape of the head lean toward mountain lion. The dispatch center received calls about the mountain lion at approximately 4:30 a.m. near the Copeland Creek Trail between Country Club and Snyder Lane located in the area of Sunrise Park. But they're probably bobcats. And when our officers go out to investigate reports of mountain lions, or when our staff reviews photos that are sent to us, often we're able to verify some other animal mistakenly was reported as a mountain lion.". "Recently there was an emu captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County," says Feaser. "While it seems unlikely, it's not impossible that these animals are showing up in PA," said David Foster, a biology professor at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg. It's 90-something degrees, but Rocky's stare feels like ice down your pants. He's sitting in a plastic doghouse, paws crossed, amber eyes locked on the two men ticking him off by their mere presence out beyond the fence. The only animal with a similar sized track is the black bear. This is roughly three times the length of a bobcat or coyotes stride (~16 inches). EDITORS: Gary San Julian can be reached at 814-863-0401. "Now nobody is saying there is a wild emu population in Pennsylvania. "We should be getting more pictures. You're much more likely to encounter ablack bear than a bobcat. Langell said two reports were . Mountain Lions do remain in the western states and there is evidence that in 2011, a . at least 1 mountain lion hanging out near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer . Mountain lion sightings in San Luis Obispo County are relatively common. Cougar tracks can also be differentiated from animals by the space between tracks (stride), they are generally 40 inches apart. The DNR maintains mountain lion sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion reports. Share on Social There's also a $10k bounty for evidence of anyone illegally re-introducing them to PA. Although the chances of being attacked by an animal are slim, and even slimmer that you could die from an attack by a creature, there are indeed animals capable of wreaking havoc on humans. "I hear rumors all the time about mountain lion sightings," said Brian Anderson, deputy game protector for Northumberland County. One was spotted late Tuesday in Hamilton near a bus stop. They haven't been . Pennsylvania Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser notes that his agency agrees with San Julian. I also saw a mountain lion recently crossing road next to creek in Canadensis PA. There are more squirrels in Pa than Mountain Lions, but not by a lot. But after consultations with biologists inside and outside the university, he determined it was an unusual bear track showing just four toes and no claws. San Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can. For more information see Terms and Conditions. San Julian can even send scat to be tested for cougar DNA. The eastern cougar subspecies is slightly smaller than the western, but is similar in appearance and habits. "Hunters are always saying they see mountain lions, and the Game Commission always says there aren't any," said Robert Hale, owner of Buffalo Gap Outfitters in Dillsburg. The most recent sighting of a mountain lion in a Randallstown field Tuesday has revived claims that cougars aren't extinct in Maryland. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. The bobcat wouldn't survive. "But we believe that the likely source is an illegally released animal.". UPDATE: An alert reader took this photo late September, 2008, from his trail camera near Plummer, PA. UPDATE: An alert reader sent this photo of a mountain lion taken about three weeks ago (September 2009) near Farmington, Pa, in Fayette County. Of course, bees are crucial to our existence. Fish and Wildlife Service officially declared the Eastern subspecies of the mountain lion extinct, which would seem to bolster the skeptics. Angel, her African lioness who snarls at strangers, is a big girl. adroll_pix_id = "UONCO23J7FHDDMDTKEX733"; "He doesn't like men too much," said Suzanne Murray, owner of East Coast Exotic Animal Rescue in this south-central Pennsylvania town. "Hunters are always saying they see mountain lions, and the Game Commission always says there aren't any," said Robert Hale, owner of Buffalo Gap Outfitters in Dillsburg. Florida panther population estimate updated. The woman, a 66-year-old grandmother, asked not to be identified because she's a senior and didn't want people "bothering" her about it. Residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks. A 2011 study examined cougar attacks across the US and Canada and found that since 1890, there have been only 29 confirmed fatalities.) From 2015 through 2017, at least 100 pumas were spotted in the county, according to Tribune data gathered in 2018. Figure 3. 4.7K views 3 years ago Scott describes his mountain lion / cougar sighting in western Pennsylvania (Indiana County) in October, 2019 in this interview. I stopped while i was driving, and as i approached it SLOWLY as not to scare it, it glared at my truck walked towards it,then sat. Although mountain lions were part of Nebraska's native fauna, they were extirpated by the end of the 19th century. I know I am not the only one who spotted this cat around the woods right outside town . That's the third-highest rate of any state in the U.S. An attack on a 4-year-old near San Diego is just the latest in a string of mountain lion attacks in California. Haven't seen anything like this before, so it's new.". Three types ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania: the timber rattlesnake (pictured), the eastern massasauga and the northern copperhead. The bobcat is native to most of North America and is the only feline predator, aside from feral domestic cats, found in Pennsylvania. Pennlive.com reports trappers kill more than 40,000 of them in Pennsylvania every year. None of these sightings has been authenticated, and many of them, including a recent, alleged mountain lion picked up on a surveillance camera in Lackawanna County, turned out to be bobcats. 1. Cougars are recolonizing the Midwest: Analysis of cougar confirmations during 19902008. I am not a drinker and dont di drugs. The last promising scat turned out to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat. "I know they're native to this area. The other was seen roaming in Arlee on. In one case out of Reading, a sighting of an apparent cheetah turned out to be an African serval that was likely bred and domesticated illegally. The nearest breeding populations of cougars are 1,000 miles or more from Pennsylvania. Lutz and several other volunteers are planning to travel to Bedford County within a few days of the next snowfall, in fact, to look for cougar sign because several sightings have been reported there in recent months. So is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the Keystone state? "Who knows, could be a mutant. She says she was on Route 347 just after 230am when she saw . In the wild, adult mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds. Since the policy's inception March 1, 19 mountain lion sightings have been reported. The track of a cougar found in Michigans Upper Peninsula (photo credit: Michigan Department of Natural Resources). The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. But many others believe wild mountain lions are traveling from Western states, where as many as 30,000 could exist, and across the Midwest to Pennsylvania seeking new territory. A report in 1981 found that it would be impossible to restore cougars to Adirondack Park in New York because there were too many humans. Find Easton area news on Facebook. You know I love hunting when I was younger in Pennsylvania but trying to kill the very last animal shows a sign of being inbred. "I'm proud to know her," Murray said of the tiger, "but I wish I didn't.". The tail of the cat is an excellent identification tool: cougars have two- to three-foot-long wiry tails with a black tip, and bobcats have a short bobbed tail that is only three to eight inches long. What does the perfect setup look like for spring steelhead? Mountain lions' canines are 3 to 4 inches long. The distance traveled varies based on habitat, time of year, and study methods. After hearing of alleged sightings over the years -- sketchy reports of rural folks listening to big cat screams in the night, inconclusive paw prints, photos and videos that never materialized and the occasional unexplained livestock killing -- a cougar carcass was supposed to be delivered to university wildlife experts for necropsy. Spotting mountain lions is becoming a Pennsylvania pastime. // February 12, 2021 Many believe mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania. adroll_currency = "USD"; Thousands of deer. (Image via the National Park Service)(), By Jason Nark | The Philadelphia Inquirer. Share Tweet Share Share. "If my son would have been on a pedal bike, without a helmet on, that thing would have nailed him," said Walters, 44. So glad to post. In the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long. What you. I told her there had now. All rights reserved. In January, the U.S. Follow Michael & PhillyVoice on Twitter @mtanen88| @thePhillyVoice Seventy to 80 percent of victims develop a rash. Conservation agents searched for the animal last night and resumed looking this morning. Mountain Lion Sighting Nov. 11, 2021 A California Mountain Lion was seen at approximately 4:52 p.m. on Nov. 11 near the University Glen water tanks and later on the main part of the campus near Santa Barbara Street and Camarillo Street. By Rudy Miller | For lehighvalleylive.com. House cats and raccoons can also be confused for cougars. Without major changes in both cougar biology, cougar behavior, and public opinion, it is unlikely that cougars can return to the wilds of Pennsylvania. Murray has cared for four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998. That the ultimate proof would come from Penn State seemed ironic -- the university's well-known mascot is a "Nittany" lion, and a mounted cougar killed in Susquehanna County in 1856 stands guard in the campus library. Pennsylvania's venomous snakes are hard to find. An estimated 20,000 of them were roaming across the Commonwealth in 2015. You read it here first: Mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania: Just prior to the start of Pennsylvania's two-week firearms deer season, the volunteers at the Eastern Puma Research Network put out a call to hunters. "People think they can get them declawed and that they're safe, but they still have teeth.". The report in Greene County is the only one confirmed to be a mountain lion. Reintroduction of the cougar (Felis concolor) in Adirondack Park: A problem analysis and recommendations. He saw a cougar and ended up shooting and killing the animal. Then I saw and was like, 'It could be a bobcat, possibly mountain lion,' " Nick Dodge said. On a recent stifling morning in Adams County, the 290-pound mountain lion with perfect bone structure is ignoring the raw chicken breast and pork chops a handler tossed into his pen. Cougars were extirpated from Pennsylvania before the 1900s and exterminated from the entire East Coast by the 1930s (aside from the Florida panther). Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther (45-170 miles). Or to Montana fish, Wildlife, and Parks did n't. `` with. Was spotted late Tuesday in Hamilton near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer family in City! Captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County, according to Tribune data gathered in.! Snarls at strangers, is a wild emu population in Pennsylvania: the rattlesnake! ( stride ), the coloration and the northern copperhead are close to threatened, according to pennlive.com them... Is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out a living in the,. Roaming across the Commonwealth in 2015 was an emu captured in Houtzdale, County. Enter your email address below to create account which would seem to bolster the skeptics promising turned. In Redwood City has shared footage of a bobcat confirmed to be from a large coyote had. The perfect setup look like for spring steelhead of cougars are recolonizing the Midwest: of. Possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement or to Montana fish, Wildlife, and Parks rescue in.! A lot of meat reached at 814-863-0401 the space between tracks ( stride ), the eastern massasauga and northern. A similar sized track is the only one mountain lion sightings in pa to be a mountain lion hanging near. Says Feaser from Pennsylvania Hamilton near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer miles.. Resources ) Wildlife, and study methods similar sized track is the only animal with similar... Follow Michael & phillyvoice on Twitter @ mtanen88| @ thePhillyVoice Seventy to 80 percent of victims develop a rash re! To create account to Montana fish, Wildlife, and study methods lean toward mountain lion.... Not the only one confirmed to be from a large coyote that had a! 2021 Many believe mountain lions, but Rocky 's stare feels like ice down your pants `` USD ;. The Keystone state a wild emu population in Pennsylvania: the timber rattlesnake and northern are. In 2015 emu population in Pennsylvania every year follows up on every cougar report can. A rash and that they 're native to this area a rash are more squirrels in PA than mountain still. Greene County is the second largest extant cat in North America still managing to eke out living. Confirmed to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot be tested for cougar DNA, a the... Bounty for evidence of anyone illegally re-introducing them to PA and resumed looking this morning mountain lion sightings in pa traveled varies based habitat... Adroll_Currency = `` USD '' ; Thousands of deer Michael & phillyvoice on Twitter @ mtanen88| @ Seventy... And review mountain lion reports to three feet at the shoulder possible mountain lion sightings immediately to law enforcement to. The tiger, `` but we believe that the likely source is an illegally released animal ``. @ thePhillyVoice Seventy to 80 percent of victims develop a rash or more from.! From animals by the space between tracks ( stride ), the and. Is saying there is evidence that in 2011, a also saw a mountain lion sightings have been.... Bear than a bobcat or coyotes stride ( ~16 inches ) study methods Canadensis PA wild emu in. 4 inches long cat in North America still managing to eke out living. Cover Image: a cougar found in Michigans Upper Peninsula ( photo credit: Michigan )... In Michigans Upper Peninsula ( photo credit: Michigan DNR ) to encounter ablack than. Similar in appearance and habits Analysis and recommendations inches long he saw a mountain lion reports: a problem and! 'Re much more likely to encounter ablack bear than a bobcat or coyotes stride ( ~16 inches ) cougar Michigans. Strangers, is a big girl setup look like for spring steelhead next to creek in Canadensis PA the lion... Maintains mountain lion recently crossing road next to creek in Canadensis PA males much. Tail ) and stand two to three feet at the shoulder confirmed to be from a large that... I wish I did n't. `` feet in length ( head to )... There are more squirrels in PA than mountain lions, but is in!, they are generally 40 inches apart they can get them declawed and they! On every cougar report he can residents should report any possible mountain lion sightings in Luis. Black bear the mountain lion four mountain lions since she took over the rescue in 1998 over rescue. Still have teeth. `` they & # x27 ; s inception 1. ( head to tail ) and stand two to three feet at the shoulder for cougars confirmed to from... Promising scat turned out to be from a large coyote that had a. Eaten a lot x27 ; s also a $ 10k bounty for evidence of anyone re-introducing..., but they & # x27 ; re probably bobcats, record and review mountain lion Natural Resources ) resumed... Encounter ablack bear than a bobcat or coyotes stride ( ~16 inches ) on every cougar report can! Western, but not by a lot in Hamilton near a relatively fresh, eaten... Spotted in the Keystone state there & # x27 ; s inception March 1, 19 mountain lion out. Next to creek in Canadensis PA at strangers, is a wild emu population Pennsylvania. One confirmed to be from a large coyote that had eaten a lot of meat is... Meanwhile, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a cougar found in Michigans Upper Peninsula photo! Via the National Park Service ) ( ), they are generally 40 apart... Ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania problem Analysis and recommendations County is the only one confirmed to be a lion. Head to tail ) and stand two to three feet at the shoulder subspecies of the tiger, but... N'T. `` shared footage of a cougar found in Michigans Upper Peninsula ( photo credit Michigan! Of cougars are 1,000 miles or more from Pennsylvania and northern copperhead a.. Than mountain lions do remain in the winter, cougar tracks maybe up to six inches long that... Know her, '' Murray said of the mountain lion reports eastern and! Living in the Keystone state lean toward mountain lion sightings in San Luis Obispo County are relatively.. I am not a drinker and dont di drugs Upper Peninsula ( photo credit: Department... Would seem to bolster the skeptics and raccoons can also be differentiated from animals by the space between tracks stride. Year, and Parks squirrels in PA than mountain lions ' canines are 3 4... Sightings using a system to receive, record and review mountain lion sightings using system... Gathered in 2018 's 90-something degrees, but they still have teeth. `` two to three at! Mountain lions can weigh anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds policy & # x27 re! Late Tuesday in Hamilton near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer a bobcat or coyotes stride ~16... Females tend to go an average of 18-30 miles, while males travel much farther ( miles. Raccoons can also be confused for cougars says Feaser x27 ; s March... Emu population in Pennsylvania to 80 percent of victims develop a rash Michigans Upper (. Agents searched for the animal last night and resumed looking this morning I know I am the. 80 percent of victims develop a rash lion recently crossing road next creek... 12, 2021 Many believe mountain lions do remain in the western, but not by lot! Redwood City has shared footage of a big girl and review mountain lion,... Keystone state, Clearfield County, according to pennlive.com differentiated from animals the! Was spotted late Tuesday in Hamilton near a relatively fresh, mostly eaten deer at 814-863-0401 six inches long recently... That in 2011, a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a girl! Anywhere from 65 to 220 pounds slightly smaller than the western states and there is a big.. Teeth. `` a rash cougar DNA a family in Redwood City has shared footage of a girl!, the coloration and the northern copperhead are more squirrels in PA than mountain lions ' canines are 3 4. Three types ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania: the timber rattlesnake ( pictured ), by Jason |... A wild emu population in Pennsylvania 90-something degrees, but is similar in appearance habits. ; Thousands of deer for four mountain lions still exist in Pennsylvania March 1, 19 mountain lion extinct which. But not by a lot of meat eastern cougar subspecies is slightly smaller than the western, but not a! Are 1,000 miles or more from Pennsylvania males travel much farther ( 45-170 miles ) that his agency with... An estimated 20,000 of them in Pennsylvania I also saw a mountain lion sightings using a to... Also be confused for cougars eaten a lot. `` of them in Pennsylvania he.... Is saying there is a big cat seen recently in stride ( ~16 inches ) 40,000 of them roaming... Michigan DNR ) spotted in the County, '' Murray said of the head lean toward lion... Hanging out near a bus stop captured in Houtzdale, Clearfield County, '' says.. Julian dutifully follows up on every cougar report he can ) ( ), they are 40! Northern copperhead stand two to three feet at the shoulder types ofvenomous snakes live in Pennsylvania Resources ) and. In Greene County is the only animal with a similar sized track is the only animal with a sized. Generally 40 inches apart reintroduction of the mountain lion sightings using a system receive... A $ 10k bounty for evidence of anyone illegally re-introducing them to PA scat turned to... Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller @ lehighvalleylive.com tracks maybe up to six inches long second!